The Secret of Harlem
by happyfunball
Summary: Did NOT know what to call this...anyway it's about Kid Blink and what he did during the strike! Short chapters, I know, but the sections weren't designed to be chapters :
1. Chapter 1

"Morning, Weasel," said Kid Blink, turning as he blew out a puff of smoke. Wiesel just turned to glare at him.

"How many?" he asked irritably, sighing.

"Mmm…gimme fifty today, alright?" replied blinking, sliding a quarter toward the man.

"Fifty papes for the kid!" Wiesel shouted to the scabbers.

"That's Kid _Blink_ to you," Blink told him, taking the papers that had been slammed down in front of him. He hoisted them onto his shoulder and hopped down the steps.

"Nothin' really good today, eh Blink?" commented Jack Kelly, once Blink had sat next to him and opened a paper.

"Jack, Jack, Jack, you forgettin' the big rule?" laughed Blink cheerily.

"Not at all, Blink." Jack smiled. "I basically made the rule, you kidding?" He took a pull on his cigarette, then looked up, exhaling smoke. He caught sight of a skinny woman walking by, her tiny waist flaunted by the dress she wore.

Blink elbowed Jack in the ribs. "Check out that beauty." Jack let out a low whistle.

"B-e-a-utiful," he said. Racetrack joined them and followed their gaze.

"Oh, my," he said with a smile. "Hey gorgeous! You are an angel!" The woman turned around with a mild smile, then saw who it was and pursed her lips, turning to walk away with her nose in the air. Racetrack snorted.

" 'Course they don't like us." The smile on his face became a slight grimace. "We're dirty, stinking street trash. Street rats."

"'S alright, Race," Jack said. "Least we got ourselves and the papes, right?"

"The papes." Racetrack rolled his eyes. "Sure." Blink half-smiled, half-grimaced. At least those two had a chance. He wore a freaking eyepatch, for goodness' sake. Girls would know there was automatically something wrong with him.

"Let's go," he said, throwing the paper he was reading on the pile and putting them on his shoulder.

"Somethin' up, Blink?" asked Racetrack. Kid Blink looked over, then spat out and stomped on his cigarette.

"Nah," he replied. "Come on, we're newsies. Let's go. Carry the banner."

"Carry the banner," Jack repeated, grinning.


	2. Chapter 2

Kid Blink strode mildly cheerfully down the street. He was doing what he did best: selling papers. Of course, he didn't have much time for anything else, but hey. He managed to get a few sales out of some lame-brains on the street, continuing on his way once he was finished. As he sauntered down the road, he crashed into a stranger, and his papers went flying. He leapt up off the ground.

"Watch where you're going!" he shouted at the other person. The newcomer looked like a kid about his age, and apparently a newsie as well.

"Gosh, I'm sorry," the newsie told him, gathering his papers.

Blink groaned. "Nobody's gonna buy these dirty papes now!" He bent down to collect his papers.

"I SAID I was sorry," the other newsie said, half-rising.

"Yeah, well that won't get my papes clean again," Blink growled, trying to dust off his newspapers.

"You're not the only one with dirty papes!" exclaimed the stranger, leaping up. Blink finally got a look at his face, or what was clean of it, anyway. The newsie's face was completely dirty and grimy.

"You ever bathe?" asked Blink rudely, standing up.

"You ever watch where YOU'RE going?" the stranger retorted. "I don't know these streets! It's not up to me to know this place 'cause it ain't my territory!"

"Wait, what?" Blink put a hand on the kid's arm to stop him. "Why ain't this your territory too?"

The newsie shrugged. "Didn't get enough sales where I'm from. Harlem. The people don't give enough pity."

"Why would they give you pity?" questioned Blink with a dry laugh. "There ain't nothing wrong with you. Me," he tapped his eyepatch, "I need pity."

"Why do I need pity?" repeated the stranger. He rubbed a finger on his face and looked at it, then shrugged. Must be too dirty." He took off his hat, and shiny blond hair with brown streaks fell to his shoulders.

He…was a she.

Blink's heart pounded. He had been so rude to her, but she had fought back. She brought it upon herself. A feisty one…huh.

"All the precious little girls are supposed to be with their family, but I'm out here on the streets. Tried to get more pity here, but you other newsies interfered," the girl continued, twisting her hair back up under her hat. "Jack Kelly your leader, right?" Blink nodded. "He's a mean one. Came here for pity, and most I've gotten's been a black eye and a faceful of mud."

"Jack don't speak for all of us," Blink told her.

"What, you any different?" she spat. Blink bristled with anger.

"Watch it," he snapped. "This ain't your territory. It's ours. So stop actin' like you own the place."

"Fine!" she hissed. "I'll go back to Harlem and starve. When you hear about my death, remember that it's thanks to you and Jack Kelly."

"Didn't say you couldn't sell her!" Blink added quickly. He coughed, face going slightly pink. "Just keep outta our business," he continued, trying to sound harsh again. Her lips tightened into a small line.

"Fine," she reiterated angrily. She turned and stalked off.

"Hey!" called Kid Blink. "Girl, what's your name?" She stopped, but didn't turn. He saw her shoulders rise and fall in a large sigh.

"Alicia," she shouted. "The others call me Archer." Then she continued on her way out of Blink's life.


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days passed in a mild stupor for Kid Blink. He found himself torn between his desire to see Alicia again and his need to sell the papers. At the end of this stupor, David became the new newsie in their lives.

The day after, the world changed.

It started like any other morning. Kid Blink arrived at the circulation desk before the others.

"Fifty papes, Weasel," he ordered, slamming a quarter on the desk. Wiesel looked up and smiled maliciously.

"That won't cover it anymore," he told Blink through his evil grin.

"What? What do you mean?" growled Blink irritably. Behind him, a line was beginning to queue up.

"Mr. Pulitzer changed the price," Wiesel replied. "Sixty cents a hundred."

"What?" exclaimed Blink. The newsies behind him were beginning to get impatient. He slammed his hand back on the counter and snatched his quarter back. He turned to the others and yelled angrily, "Price jack-up. We can't buy these!"

"What's goin' on?" asked Jack as Blink pounded down the stairs to stand nearby him.

"They jacked up the price," Blink shouted indignantly, feeling the eyes of the newsies on him. "You hear that, Jack? Ten cents a hundred! It's bad enough that we gotta eat what we don't sell. Now they jacked up the price. Can you believe it?" The complaints spread to other newsies.

Jack hopped up the steps to the desk. "Why the jack-up, Weasel?"

"Why not?" Wiesel replied. He licked his finger and stuck it in the air, as if testing for a breeze. "It's a nice day. Why don't you ask Mr. Pulitzer?"

"They can't do this to me, Jack," muttered Blink.

"They can do whatever they want," grumbled Racetrack. "It's their stinkin' paper." The next few minuteds passed quickly, ending with the decision to go on strike. The newsies left the area of the circulation desk, Jack talking with David. Eventually, Jack turned to ask if they actually wanted to go on strike.

"The choice has gotta be yours," Jack told them. "Are we gonna take what they give us, or are we gonna strike?" The newsies remained silent. Kid Blink looked around, waiting for someone to say something.

"Strike!" yelled Les from behind Jack. David quickly covered his mouth, but a rousing cry of agreement was swelling up from the newsies.

"Well, keep talking, Jack! Tell us what to do!" exclaimed Boots. Jack turned back to David.

"Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect our rights," David told Jack, after a pause.

"Hey listen!" called Jack. "Pulitzer and Hearst have to respect the rights of the working boys of New York!" There were numerous cheers from the crowd. "That's right!" added Jack. He turned back to David and had a quick muttered conversation, then jumped up on the nearby statue pedestal.

"Pulitzer and Hearst, they think we're nothin'!" he shouted to the newsies that crowded in around the base of the statue. "Are we nothin'?"

"No!" bellowed Blink along with the other newsies.

"If we stick together, like the trolley workers, then they can't break us up!" David said to Jack.

"Pulitzer and Hearst: they think they got us. Do they got us?" Jack asked, tearing a stack of newspapers in half.

"No!"

"We're a union now, the Newsboys' Union," David continued. "We have to start acting like a union."

"Even though we ain't got hats or badges, we're a union just by saying so!" Jack said, circling the statue. "And the world will know!" They continued with their song, and Jack got up to the headline board and wrote "STRIKE" in huge letters.

He climbed back down the ladder and went over to David after the final chorus.

"We need to get word out to every newsie in New York," Jack said to David. "We need some of those…uh…what 'cha call 'em…" He made frantic hand gestures, trying to send his meaning to David.

"Ambassadors?" David suggested.

"Yeah!" Jack exclaimed. "Right, you guys, you gotta be ambassadors and go tell the others we're on strike!"

Here was his opportunity. Blink's heart pounded and the world slowed as he felt Racetrack pull on his shoulder. A smile spread across his face, and he tried not to stutter.

"Say, Jack, I'll take Harlem!" he cried, tapping his chest. Jack nodded slightly as Blink turned to leave the crowd.

"I got Midtown!" he heard Racetrack shout. Blink looked back to see Racetrack following him.

"Why'd you sign up so fast for Harlem?" Racetrack wondered aloud. "No one likes Harlem!"

Blink shrugged. "Why'd you sign up for Midtown?"

Racetrack laughed. "Fair enough."


	4. Chapter 4

"Where's Archer?" Blink demanded, strolling into the grounds of Harlem.

"Ain't she still in Manhattan?" a Harlem newsie replied.

"Nah, left a while ago," Blink told him. "Where is she?"

"What's a Manhattan newsie want with our leader?" another newsie asked.

"She's your – wait – what?" Blink spluttered. Then he started laughing. "You got a girl as your leader?"

"Hey!" shouted a voice angrily. "How d'you think I got the name Archer?" Blink turned, eye widening.

"Alicia," he breathed.

"Oh, you again," she snapped bitterly. "Least it's not Kelly."

"What're you doin' with Jack Kelly?" The Harlem boy asked quickly. "Thought you went to Manhattan just to sell papes!" Alicia glared at the boy. Blink saw her wrist flick, and the boy doubled over, clutching his stomach. "Owww!" he cried, sounding winded. Blink figured she must've thrown a rock or something and from that far away, it was no small feat.

"Fightin' with him, that's what," Alicia growled, striding over. She gave the boy a punch to his chin that sent him sprawling. Kid Blink stifled his laughter.

"And what do you want?" she asked irritably. He quickly cleared his throat, trying to force the smile off of his face.

"Jack sent us all over," Blink replied. He saw a crate nearby and took it as a seat. Alicia's eyes instantly narrowed.

"Why should I –" she started, but Blink held up his hand. She fell back onto a wall and crossed her arms, pursing her lips.

"You still buying from Pulitzer?" he asked her.

"What else can we do?" she asked. "It empties our pockets, but we would otherwise starve."

"Strike," he replied. She cocked her head to the side, coming away from the wall and placing her hands on her hips.

"Look. We would starve to death!" she argued. "Maybe Kelly can proved you with some magical way to get food, but we ain't got him."

"Then join us," Blink insisted. She shook her head disbelievingly. "Come on, it's unfair," Blink added.

"Life's unfair," Alicia muttered, looking away.

"Yeah, but this is our chance to put stuff in our favor," Blink told her. She looked back up at him.

"What's Spot Conlin say?"


	5. Chapter 5

"When's Jack coming back?" Kid Blink asked Racetrack, when they had both arrived back at the lodging house.

He shrugged. "When Jack comes back." Blink rolled his eyes. "What's Harlem say?"

"Eh…waitin' on Spot Conlin," Blink replied.

"So's Midtown," Racetrack grumbled.

The next day, Blink watched Racetrack and the others play a game. It just felt so…unnatural to be sitting around, not selling any papers.

"Jack!" he heard Mush say. Blink and Racetrack looked up.

"So, uh, where's Spot?" Racetrack asked.

"Oh, he was concerned about us bein' serious," Jack told him dryly. "Imagine that."

"You know, maybe we oughta ease off a little, ya know?" said Racetrack. Blink's mind raced. Was this really the best idea?

"Without Spot and the others, there's just not enough of us Jack," he agreed. Other newsies made similar statements.

"Hey, who we kiddin' here? Spot was right!" exclaimed Jack. "Is this just a game to you?" Blink noticed David leave, and heard strains of "Seize the Day" drifting to him from behind the nearby statue. The rest of the newsies joined in, and Blink temporarily forgot his doubts and worries. Once they finished, Jack shouted, "Anybody hear that?"

"No!" the newsies retorted.

"So what're we gonna do about it?"

"Soak 'em!" They all leapt up and ran to the circulation desk area. There were already newsies queuing up to get their papers. Several joined up instantly, but as soon as one refused to join, havoc broke loose. Blink couldn't help but smile as he tore papers apart, throwing them in the air. Finally, the newsies were getting their fair share of life's little pleasures. Where was Alicia when he wanted her there?

"Hey, it's the bulls!" shouted Jack suddenly. "Hey, cheese it! It's the bulls!" Blink looked up to see several policemen on horseback. He leapt over the piles of torn papers and dashed through the gates.

"Oh! Crutchy!" he heard Racetrack shout from behind him. "Scram, scram!" Blink turned back to see Crutchy cornered by the cop. The Delancey brothers approached him from behind, and Blink turned sadly away.


	6. Chapter 6

The whole of the striking newsie ensemble was depressed that night. Kid blink sat on his bed, smoking a cigarette.

"Put that out, will ya?" Racetrack grumbled from beneath him. "I'll be smellin' it all night."

"Hey, Race," Blink said, exhaling smoke. "You know the leader of Harlem?"

"Yeah," Racetrack replied. "What about her?"

Blink ground his cigarette into the side of his bed, then let it fall. "Why didn't you tell me she was a girl?" He hopped down and sat on Snipeshooter's vacant mattress.

Ractrack shrugged, sitting up. "Didn't think it was important."

"Did you know she came here for a bit to sell papes?" Blink asked.

"Yeah," Racetrack said. "And Jackie boy gave her a nice shiner."

"Speaking of which, where is Jack?" Blink asked, not liking where the conversation was headed and trying to change the subject.

"Goin' to bust Crutchy outta the refuge," Racetrack told him, but he wouldn't allow the topic to change. "What's with your new obsession with Harlem?" Blink didn't reply, his cheeks growing steadily pinker. Racetrack laughed. "What, you met Archer when she came here?"

"Yeah," Blink mumbled.

"Hoo-hoo!" Racetrack slapped his knee, laughing. He stuck his fist part of the way in his mouth, as if in an attempt to stop his laughter. "Better stay away from her," he was finally able to tell Blink. "They don't call her Archer for nuttin', you know."

"I know," Blink said, a hint of a smile creeping across his face at the thought of what she did to that Harlem newsie.

"Oh, this is precious!" Racetrack exclaimed. "Blinkie, you in love?"

Blink allowed a dry, half-smile to take over his face. "She's in my reach, Race. Not many girls are."


	7. Chapter 7

"Let's soak 'em for Crutchy!"

"Yeah!"

Jack was working out well as the leader of the newsies. He was inspirational and in charge.

"Whoa, Jack!" shouted Racetrack, turning back from the mob they were chasing to the ensemble of newsies. "Jack, it's a trick!" Blink stared slightly fearfully at the horde of true-born fighters that approached them. Of course, the first one they went for was Jack. He leapt about, avoiding weapons and punches. It seemed like they would have no choice but to back down, until…

"Never fear, Brooklyn is here!"

Kid Blink looked up. "Brooklyn!" he breathed.

"Brooklyn! Hey, it's Brooklyn!" the other newsies cried.

Blink beamed. This meant that soon Harlem would follow and with it –

Movement caught his attention in the corner of his eye and he focused again. He made a fist and let it fly. The guy who had come close fell, and Blink laughed. This was their time. They could win this, now. He heard the creaking of the big gates as Spot swung them open. The rest of the Brooklyn newsies stormed in, with Spot at their head.


	8. Chapter 8

Kid Blink smiled as he blew out a puff of smoke. The day was overall a good one, once Spot and the Brooklyn newsies had arrived. They had made the front page! Like Racetrack said: You're famous, you get anything you want. That's what was so great about New York. Blink pictured himself surrounded by the wonderful luxuries being famous could bring. He wouldn't have to sell newspapers anymote, he could go around in clothes better than the filthy street clothes he wore every day, he could go to Harlem whenever he wanted –

Blink sat up on his bunk, putting a hand on his forehead. He _had_ to stop thinking about Alicia!

Jack walked by. "Man, open up a window, Blink! Those things smell foul in enclosed spaces." Blink smiled dryly.

"Front page, eh, Cowboy?" he remarked.

"Yeah…my face broadcasted as the leader," Jack said, sitting on a nearby bed, "to wonderful Joe and Warden Snyder."

"Oh, boy," breathed Blink, extinguishing his cigarette, and pushing open a window. "Think they'll come after you?"

Jack shrugged. "Who cares? It's not like they can keep me in the refuge, and I'd never work for Pulitzer…no matter what it meant."

"Ah, well," Blink commented. "Least we got Brooklyn on our side now, right?"

"Yeah." Jack chuckled. "Now we got most of the newsies in New York. Sure Harlem's coming? Archer's a good ally."

"Archer hates you," Blink told Jack, laughing slightly. "You almost turned a good ally against us."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Hey, I can't have a Harlem newsie bustin' in on our territory…and a _girl_ at that," he retorted.

"Yeah, sure," Blink sighed. He lay back, closing his eye. He heard Jack get up and leave.

_Plink._

Blink's eye flew open. He looked over at the window, but there was nothing there. Must've been his imagination, he thought, and closed his eye again.

_Plink._

There it was again! Blink told himself to stay down, and forced his eye shut.

_Plink_.

Alright, that was it. Blink swung his legs down and slid from his bed to look out the window. His eye widened when he saw who it was.

"Hey, dummy," Alicia called from the alleyway, holding a rock.

"On the roof," he told her quickly, and turned away to throw on some clothes.

Soon he ran out the door to the roof to see her calmly standing there, a smile brightening her features.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey," he replied, unable to stop a smile from spreading across his face.

"So, um…" She scratched her nose, looking mildly uncomfortable. "I hear Spot joined up."

"Yeah." Blink nodded, his heart pounding.

"So…you can tell Kelly we're in," she continued.

"Nice," Blink commented. He went over and stood next to her on the bricks that surrounded the roof like a rail.

"How long do you think this'll go on for?" Alicia asked.

Blink shrugged. "Never know. Depends on when old man Pulitzer decides to give in."

"How long will that be?" Alicia questioned, looking at him. He looked back at her.

"However long it takes," Blink replied passively. Her eyes drifted down to look at the ground as his went up to the moon, and they sat in silence for a bit.

"I – I just…well…" She sighed, and their eyes snapped back on each other. "I can't afford to do this forever, and well, I need the money! And Kelly beat me away from here, and I don't even know your name!" She stopped, looking at him desperately. His mouth closed into a tight line as he remained on the bricks. She had come away from the side while talking, but her eyes remained on him.

"We'll help," Blink told her. "Don't worry. It'll all be alright."

"I hope," she muttered.

"I know." He smiled. She turned to go. "Alicia," he called after her. She turned, and the action caused his face to twitch into a smile. "I'm…my name is…I'm Kid Blink."

Alicia raised her eyebrows. "Any real name?"

"Why do I need one?" Blink retorted with a grin.


	9. Chapter 9

Over the next few days, Kid Blink was able to see more and more of Alicia. The newsies were planning out the rally, and as it came closer, they grew more and more excited. Finally, it was there, and Blink made sure he got a seat next to Harlem. Jack tried to get the excited crowd to calm down, and as soon as they were quiet, he thrust his hand into the air and shouted, "Carrying the banner!"

The newsies cheered, screamed, and whooped. Blink grabbed Alicia's hand and thrust it into the air, the both of them cheering ecstatically. On stage, Jack laughed. He continued to tell them about the dangers of staying in the strike, and was able to eventually get Brooklyn to agree to stop soaking the scabbers. Then the curtains were drawn back, revealing the beautiful Medda.

"Oh, Medda!" Blink yelled with all the other newsies. Smiling, he looked over at Alicia, but for some reason, she looked angry.

"High times, hard times," Medda sang.

"What's up, Alicia?" Blink questioned.

"Sometimes the living is sweet," Medda continued.

"Nothing, Blink," Alicia retorted, and it looked like she was glaring at Medda. Blink cocked his head to the side. Was she…? Only one way to find out.

"And sometimes there's nothing to eat."

"Watch this." Blink grinned as he hopped over the railway of the balcony. He swept off his cap, and joined Medda in singing, "But I always lands on my feet!"

"Blink!" Alicia exclaimed. She grabbed his free hand and pulled him back onto the balcony. "What were you thinking?" she shouted. "That could've been so dangerous!"

"You are!" Blink cried joyfully. "You're jealous!"

"Jealous of what?" Alicia retorted, her cheeks turning more and more pink. Blink beamed. He turned and hurried down the steps to the main seating area of the theater. There, he and Racetrack danced along with Medda. Blink glanced up, and saw Alicia staring blankly at him. He felt Medda leave his side, and relinquished hold on her arm. He looked up again, and saw Alicia turn away from her position, and disappear into the crowd. He turned to follow her, but Racetrack grabbed his arm.

"Where are you going, Blinkie?" he asked cheerily.

"I – well – Al – " Blink stammered.

"Come on! Medda's over here!" Racetrack dragged Blink with him over to Medda's gathering of newsies. Blink made it look like he enjoyed what was going on, but just wanted to go find Alicia.

"Snyder!" David's voice drifted over to Blink, who looked over. "It's Snyder, right there!" Blink followed where David was pointing, and saw Warden Snyder there, standing next to Denton.

"Sorry, Medda, I gotta run," Jack said, giving Medda a quick kiss. Soon, the hall was full with the sound of whistles blowing, and chaos erupted. Blink remained frozen in the middle of everything for a bit.

"Alicia," he breathed. He looked around. "Alicia!" Blink set off at a run, trying to find her. Two police officers were walking in the opposite direction, carrying Racetrack between them. Blink stopped. "Racetrack!" he shouted. "Hey, Race!" Racetrack didn't stir.

Blink growled, but continued on his search for Alicia. The chaos continued around him, but he didn't care. He just needed to find Alicia. He found her at the base of some stairs.

"Alicia!" he bellowed. She looked up at him, and waved him towards her. He took a step forward, then heard something resembling a stampede rush down the stairs. Jack led the stampede, and Blink rushed up the steps to meet him. "You alright, Jack?" he asked. "Come on." Alicia had disappeared as he and Jack hurried out into the crowd of policemen. Blink tried to provide a shield for Jack, so he could get through. Behind him, he felt Jack stop, and he turned to tackle the policeman. Jack managed to get away, but Blink found himself surrounded by two policemen. He readied himself to fight, but one officer's arm flashed, and a pain exploded by his eye. He let out a cry of pain and fell to the ground. The world blurred, trimmed with black edges. Everything seemed to slow, like in slow moments in movies. The ground pounded beneath his head as the officers left his side. Through the blurred vision of his one eye, Blink saw two policemen holding back a newsie in a familiar cap. Her mouth formed frantic words, but he couldn't hear what she shouted as she struggled against the cops. She finally fought her way out of their hold and ran over to Blink, but things still moved in slow motion. He felt her weight fall on him, felt her tears drip onto his cheeks, felt her fingers in his hair. Too soon for him, the world clouded over, and he blacked out.


	10. Chapter 10

The pounding of the gavel echoed around the courtroom. Kid Blink gaped at Judge Monahan. How could he expect any newsie to have five dollars? And no way would they be spending any time in the refuge! He felt a hand slide down his arm and intertwine with his fingers. Alicia smiled at him when he looked up.

"Your honor, I'll pay the fines," a voice said from the entrance. "All of them." Alicia, Blink, and the rest of the newsies looked over to see Denton. David ran up and asked Racetrack where Jack was, and Denton told the group to meet in the restaurant.

"Pay the clerk, move it along," Judge Monahan instructed. At that moment, Jack walked in, shouting, "Heya, fellas!"

"Hey, Cowboy!" Racetrack called. "Nice shiner!" The newsies were shunted out the door, and they laughed about the night for a bit as they played around outside. Blink was chatting with Racetrack and Mush when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Alicia with a half-embarrassed, half-fearful look.

"What's gonna happen to Kelly?" she asked. Blink smiled and held her hand.

"Probably nothing big," he replied. "My guess is a fine or the refuge, like us. He'll always bust outta the refuge, and Denton can pay the fine. Even if Pulitzer himself came in that courtroom, Jack would never abandon us."

She was looking at the ground. "I hope you're right."

"'Course I am," he scoffed, grinning. "I know Jack." When she still looked unsure, he took a step forward and hesitantly kissed her cheek. A blush slowly spread across her face as she kept looking down. Blink chuckled, and kept holding her hand as he brought her to their restaurant.

Once they were there, the mood dropped considerably as David told them Jack's sentence, and Denton relayed the news of his leaving their side.

"We get Jack out of the refuge tonight," David declared, once Denton had left. "From now on, we trust no one but the newsies."

"Yeah!"


	11. Chapter 11

They waited outside the refuge: Les, Blink, Mush, Racetrack, Boots, and David. Once they saw a carriage leave with Jack, Les quietly exclaimed, "It's Jack!"

"Where they takin' him, Dave?" Mush asked.

"Only one way to find out," David replied. "I'll meet you guys at the square. Racetrack, watch him." He hurried down and followed the carriage away.

"Let's go!" Les said, excitedly getting up once the carriage and David were out of sight.

"Nah, kid," Racetrack told him. "We gotta stay here for when Davey gets back."

"Why?" whined Les.

"Just stay, Les," Blink sighed. Time passed, and before David reached the square, Alicia arrived to wait with them.

"Alicia, what are you doing here?" Blink hissed, pulling her away from the other four.

"It's fine, Blink! Lemme go! I just wanna wait with them," she said.

"No! I don't want you at any risk for the refuge!" Blink said.

"I can handle myself, thanks," she retorted, pulling her hand out of his.

"Hey, Archer," called Racetrack from the side.

"Heya, Race," she replied, walking over to them. Blink blushed as she sat down with them and started talking.

"This your girlfriend, Blink?" Mush asked quietly.

"No," Blink mumbled, blushing. He heard Alicia stop talking as if she had heard, but he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.

"All set, then," Alicia said, after a while of talking to Racetrack. She got up and stared at Mush for a few seconds, then proceeded over to Blink. She placed both her hands on his cheeks and placed a solid, but brief kiss on his lips. She then murmured, "Night," and left. A slow smile spread across Blink's face as he rubbed his face with one hand.

"Guess she is my girlfriend," he told Mush, grinning.


	12. Chapter 12

"Stop the World! No more papes! Stop the World! No more papes!"

The wagon rolled out of the gates, reminding Kid Blink of the night before, when David came back empty-handed. The mood considerably decreased declined when he added that Jack had willingly returned to the refuge, and had told David to leave and go home. The scabbers became visible as the wagons left and a swarm of policemen spread out in front of the newsies to prevent them from doing anything drastic. Blink glared at the scabbers, mentally questioning why their loyalty remained towards Pulitzer. He felt a hand brush down his arm and gently take hold of his hand. He looked up, and saw Alicia smile at him. She kissed his cheek gently, and he smiled back. His attention was drawn to the front again when he heard Spot Conlin and Racetrack conversing.

"Tell me I'm seeing things," Spot was saying. "Just – tell me I'm seein' things."

Racetrack looked at what spot was staring at. A new scabber was having his suit brushed off by Wiesel.

"Naw, you ain't seeing things," Racetrack told Spot. "That's Jack. What's he doing?" Blink's face fell as he saw Jack Kelly, dressed as a scabber, and holding a stack of newspapers.

"He's dressed like a scabber," Spot added. Mush pushed his way to the front.

"Jack, look at me, will ya?" he called, but Jack avoided making eye contact, looking away and towards the ground. "Come on, it's me, Mush! Look at me! What're you doin', Jack?" He tried pushing forward, but the police officers held him back. Blink released Alicia's had and shoved his way to the front of the crowd.

"This ain't happenin'!" he shouted. "This can't be happenin'! What're you doing, Jack? Come on, what're you doin'?" He tried to force his way to Jack as well, but he was restrained by the police.

"Hey, what is this?" yelled Boots. "Where'd you get them clothes?"

"Mr. Pulitzer picked them out hisself," Wiesel replied. Blink turned away from the front of the group, pushing through to the back. He faced away from the crowd, putting his head in his hand.

"Come here, you dirty, rotten scabber!" Spot bellowed from behind him. "I'll murder ya! Traitor!" The crowd moved behind Blink, and he looked up to see Spot being dragged back by other Manhattan newsies. Spot made eye contact with Blink and sighed, shaking his head as he adjusted his vest. Blink moved back to the front of the crowd to see David walking back from Jack. He stopped, staring at the newsies, then turned and rushed at Jack, but was caught by the cops.

"Maybe you'd like a suit of your own," Wiesel offered.

David glared at him. "Never!"

Blink turned away once more, finding himself face-to-face with Alicia. "I'm sorry," she whispered, but he wordlessly glanced at her, then moved away, following the scabbers to the back of the gathering.

"You make me sick!" he bellowed at Jack.

"I trusted you!" Boots shouted.

"Seize the day, huh, Jack?" Racetrack asked cynically.

Les looked up at Racetrack, pulling on his pant leg. "He's foolin' 'em, so he can spy on 'em or something! Yeah, yeah, that's it! He's foolin' 'em!" Racetrack chuckled humorlessly, patting Les's cheek.

"Yeah," he told him, "he's spying on 'em, kid."


End file.
